A network of Australians working together to advance free software and free culture as a movement for social justice.

Our society has become completely dependent on the use of computers and software for many activities. From buying groceries, playing music, conducting business and keeping in contact with friends and family.

For a society to enjoy freedoms of associate, expression and privacy, people need to have control over the technology they use in their homes, schools, businesses and government. For society to control technology, it needs to use software that respects the users' freedom. This means that the user can run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price1.

We are not focused on the technology but the ethics and morals of how software is used.

We are a passionate free software group dedicted to supporting the community. While there are plenty of computing meet-ups and user groups in Australia (which we also attend), most are about the technology rather than the social issues like freedom and privacy. We feel there is a clear niche for people wanting less technical and more ethics flavoured meet-ups.

We hold physical meet-ups to work and socialise with other free software activists. We share the values of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project - a worldwide network of free software groups. We also work alongside other local and national GNU/Linux groups to spread the word about software freedom.

We are always looking for new members to help spread knowledge of free software. Helping others to use it in their lives. Please join us at our phsical meetings or contact us via this sites Contact us form.

Disclaimer - Free Software Australia is not linked to the Free Software Foundation in any fashion. While we share the same ideals and goals, all works presented here represent Free Software Australia only. If we reference the Free Software Foundation, a link will be provided to their works.

Every third Thursday evening we meet to discuss current news in free software, perhaps a talk from a member or a visitor, followed by some group discussion. It's very relaxed and informal with no prior knowledge expected. For those able, we also follow on for tasty dinner at a nearby restaurant.

LibrePlanet Brisbane is a group focused on free software activism, advocacy and education. We meet on the first Thursday of each month, at The Edge, a facility of the State Library of Queensland in South Brisbane.